Quick pics: Still smoke in the air

Smoke and haze hangs over Havre in this view from Boot Hill Plaza Wednesday. An air quality alert is in effect for the entire state today, with smoke from wildfires in Canada primarily impacting this area. "According to the (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), much of northern Canada is in an active fire state," Hill County Health Department said in a press release, adding, "Unfortunately, the smoke is blowing south. We are lucky to have a new Air Quality Monitor in our area. This monitor shows new status every hour, and the air quality is an average of the particulate matter measured over the previous hour. Please keep this in mind, as air quality can change very quickly." The monitor can be found online at http://todaysair.mtdeq.us . The monitor showed this area moving into the "unhealthy" category Wednesday, although conditions were improving through this morning. National Weather Service reports that conditions are likely to improve Friday as winds turn to the west.